This proposal focuses on the total synthesis of the anticancer compounds aclacinomycin and ekatetrone and their 4-deoxy analogs. The key reactions in the synthetic approach have already been studied in model systems. The availability of the compounds produced in this investigation will promote a better understanding of the structure-activity relationships in the anthracyclines. Additionally, several of the methods developed in this study should be useful for the synthesis of a variety of other natural products.